Parents help orient a new family to gymnastics, please

[MeetDirector]

Meet director, will she be continuing gym in College? I can't remember if you posted if she got a scholarship, considering a club or moving on.

Txgymfan -

Options are still open for college competition, but admitedly limited. Since academics took precedence in her career, she didn't do multiple years at level 10. We will see come spring, but her college choice is driven first by her academic and post-college goals & desires and then gymnastics. It would be nice if the two overlapped, but they don't.

 

[txgymfan]

Good luck, to her and all of our CB seniors. Long term goals should come first. Hopefully she can find a club at her academic school so she can flip for fun!

 

[Neveranathlete]

So an update and another question. Recently, we checked out another gym that will be offering camp sessions this summer. The gym we are currently with, will shut down for a bit this summer, and DD doesn't want to take a long break this summer. So we went to this other gym and a coach evaluated her. The coach made a big fuss over DD and asked her to join THEIR preteam. I told the coach, we weren't interested in that now (and that her current gym already asked for the same and we are holding off). The coach spoke to me for a long time and told me that DD should leave the other gym because it is too new and the coaches are unknown and that she should join their gym. AAAAAHHH! I don't know what to do. I guess it's a good thing to have coaches who see talent in your child. But this coach made it sound like it was very important to have experienced "good" coaches during these early years and that something would be lost by keeping DD at her current gym - that she would lose precious time by just being in a recreational program. Thoughts? Should we go to the more experienced gym? (We hadn't planned on leaving her gym quite yet, but this coach made it sound like it's important.)

 

[sce]

How long is the gym shutting down in the summer?

Newer coaches are a gamble, but some are great. We have some newer (not as new now) coaches that are some of the best coaches in our gym.

I will say many recreation programs will not always teach the skills and progressions the same as they do to their team track kids. This could be true at either gym. So whether your dd is getting good foundation may be more an issue of being in rec vs. how new the coaches are.

 

[ZJsMom]

I agree with sce. I don't think there's any rush to learn more difficult skills and compete, but there can be an advantage to being on the pre-team track in that there's usually more emphasis on body shapes and learning good form. It wouldn't hurt to get more information about the pre-team group they want her in and maybe watch a practice. Personally, I don't think kids need to start competing before 7 years old. I do think if they have potential in the sport, it's good for them to focusing on strength and flexibility and learning good basics early though. If that's what the pre-team program offers, it might be worth making the move.

 

[MeetDirector]

Never -

The fundamentals in this crazy sport are SO important and should not be given light thought. As an analogy, would you rather build a house built on a foundation of packed sand or a foundation of cast concrete? I think the answer is obvious - you would want the most solid foundation you can get. In gymnastics, that solid base is typically built with experienced coaching and top-notch facilities. Does that mean you have to switch now? No, but you don't want bad habits to be learned that then have to be unlearned later.

Good Luck.

 

[Ali'sMom]

I went back and re-read your first post with questions.
I see that your current gym doesn't offer pre-team that would work for you, so you'd have to change gyms by pre-team time anyway.
Is there any reason NOT to go ahead and move now?

 

[sce]

I just read that she's 4. Do not worry at all, let her take the classes that work for her. Reconsider pre-team when shes older. Definitely don't need to switch gyms with a 4yo. Maybe in a couple years this location will have a pre-team or she'll be ready to switch to this other gym.

 

[Amusibus]

One other thing to mention...it is much harder to switch gyms when your child has made friends at her current gym. If you don't have those strong bonds of friendship to uproot, the switch is easier on the child. If it was my decision to make, I'd probably switch sooner rather than later. Not gymnastically, I agree that a 4 year old could wait a year with no harm done. But do go watch practices at the new place, maybe talk to a couple team parents. No place will ever be perfect but a little closer is better I guess. Good luck! Yes, planting a few money trees now is a good idea too.

 

[JoyAvenueMom]

Kipper started at a rec gym at 4.5 years old. She "skipped" the kinder program and went straight into the 6y0 plus beginner group. We stayed with that gym for 4 years and she competed in a non-sanctioned circuit. What I WISH I had known is that she did not get the foundation she needed those early years. After we changed gyms she had to backtrack a bit and relearn some things. Also, the ties to her friends and team mates were tight, and it was MISERABLE the first few weeks. I had zero knowledge of this sport and didn't even know what questions to ask, so I think you're lucky to have found CB so early. I would learn all that I could about the "parent" gym of your satellite. Compare them to any other gym closer to you that you might consider. You might be in just the right spot if your dd's coaches are using proven methods and working closely with the other gym. Absolutely NO reason to start a long commute this early on. I agree with others that there is no rush, but you need to feel confident about the coaching your child is receiving. (good foundation, no bridges, etc. at her age). BUT, don't wait until she's 8 or 9 when the ties to the team mates, coaches, and maybe even gym owners are really strong.

 

[SignHere]

Never,

Look up the two gyms online at www.mymeetscores.com . Do they have girls who score well (36s and 37 s?) currently? What levels ? How many girls ?

Look at the age groups of the high scoring girls, and how many years the girls have done each compulsory level. You can then get an idea if the gyms tend to repeat girls multiple years in the lower level compulsories until they are scoring high 36 s and 37 s ( I have seen that!) or if girls tend to do 1 level a year, or if they tend to have high scoring girls as well as low scoring girls, girls who repeat some levels, and girls who don't. Ideally, also, you'd like to see a decent number of higher optionals (level 6 through 10) who score well and see Levels 8-10 who go to Regionals and Eastern/Westerns or Nationals.

You don't necessarily need to look at any college scholarships received by girls at the gyms, or Elite training at this point.

The reason I mention this, is if I were to go back in time to start my DD in preteam again, I wish I had that information. I knew nothing when she was invited to preteam! And I think I got some questionable advice along the way.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

She is 4, a child, let her be a child. Coaches know a lot about gymnastics. But you are her parent, you know a lot about your child and your family and what will work for you all.

Find a gym that works for gymnastics and your family.

We have kids at our gym who want to be there every day. Good for them. It works for them.

If you told my girl 5 or 6 days or no gym she would pick no gym.

We found a gym that works for the gym and our family.

She is 4, none of this permanent. And it shouldn't be she is 4

 

[cbifoja]

Well, I feel obliged to say it as well. She's 4. Just kidding! LOL

I agree with the poster who said how much harder it is to leave a gym once you have emotional ties. If you know that a gym change is inevitable, I would go ahead and do it now whether you put your little one on a pre-team track or just keep her in rec classes until she's 18.

I love a lot of things about my DD's gym but I do wonder where she would be now had she been at a gym that emphasized different things than her current gym does. But at this point, her teammates are her sisters and her coach is a surrogate mother. These people are her FAMILY and just bringing up the idea of looking somewhere else gets her ire up FAST!

I don't think there is any harm in thinking long term as long as you of course keep in mind that anything can change. I think of DD's future course in the sport as a possibility, not THE road she will go down. If your DD loves gym, then she's headed toward a team most likely anyway. So better to find the fit as early as you can while things are still simple.

Because Meet Director and others are spot on. The longer she does this, the more it consumes your life. I went from being a scientist who worked 10 hours a day in a town 1 hour away who also happened to have a preschooler to someone who changed careers that allows me a schedule so I can haul her to GYM. I also have a second job....AT the gym. 90% of my friends are GYM moms. Our vacations are scheduled around the GYM schedule. Our money is spent on GYM. So better to get in the right spot early before you have all that going on and are contemplating a gym change.

 

[Neveranathlete]

Thanks everyone for your responses! They are very helpful.

 

[Neveranathlete]

One more question: I went to mymeetscores.com Is this the most comprehensive website? I am searching gyms and I know they are leaving out meets on this site. I'm not getting the full picture of each gym.

 

[kellyb]

We are a family of 7. DH has 2 teens from previous marriage. We have 3 littles ones together (DS8, DD4, DD2). DD4 started gymnastics last year at 3. She has quickly progressed to working in the 6-7 year old class. We are at a satellite location of a USAG gym. The coaches are very excited about DD4 and they love to work with her and teach her new skills as she learns them very quickly. They also tell me that she has exceptional strength and focus. They would like her to go onto the pre team at their main location. But I am reluctant. Here are the issues: the main location is far. If she is going to actually be on a team, it's got to be closer to us. Which means that we would have to switch gyms. I'm ok with that, DOWN THE ROAD. All of this is completely new and confusing to me (and DH) as neither one of us have any experience with gymnastics. (Though DH's son has exceptional talent in another sport and has placed nationally, he didn't start in that particular sport until he was much older.) Four years old seems VERY young to me to even think about being on a team. But the coaches are very excited about her talent and drive and want to see her move ahead. I'd like to just keep her at this gym for at least another year or 2 and THEN start thinking about moving to another gym or being on a team. What do you experienced parents think? Would there be any "harm" to waiting another 1-2 years before putting her on a team (if she is still capable and interested)?

 

[kellyb]

We are still pretty new to gymnastics also. My daughter began preteam 2 years ago at age 4. The girls in the group varied in age from about 4-6. Preteam focused on learning basic skills the "right" way, mild conditioning, and having fun. Not all of them were ready to compete this year. Some stayed on preteam an additional year before starting level 2 competition. It's a fairly fluid thing at her gym. Each girl just moves up when she is ready. As long as the time commitment is reasonable, I wonder if your daughter could do preteam with the understanding that it may take more than a year before moving to team...? That way she'd have the fun of being challenged without moving too fast, or losing the chance to eventually be on team.

 

[kellyb]

We are still pretty new to gymnastics also. My daughter began preteam 2 years ago at age 4. The girls in the group varied in age from about 4-6. Preteam focused on learning basic skills the "right" way, mild conditioning, and having fun. Not all of them were ready to compete this year. Some stayed on preteam an additional year before starting level 2 competition. It's a fairly fluid thing at her gym. Each girl just moves up when she is ready. As long as the time commitment is reasonable, I wonder if your daughter could do preteam with the understanding that it may take more than a year before moving to team...? That way she'd have the fun of being challenged without moving too fast, or losing the chance to eventually be on team.

Wait-I see what you are saying! I think I misunderstood before. You don't want to drive far away for preteam classes.... That makes sense. If you aren't wanting to change gyms yet- I think it would be fine to wait a year. Or you could check into preteam somewhere closer. I know Kindergarten can be a hard year to dive into a demanding after school activity. So assuming she'd be able to compete that year-- you may not even want her to....I agree --no harm in holding out a year.

 

[kellyb]

Never -


- This sport will demand more and more of your time but by the time you realize how much time you are spending it will be too late (the old frog in a pot of water thing). By the time she gets to the higher optional levels she will easily be spending 20 hours a week at the gym. And if she can't drive herself it will take a parent to get her there and back.

Good Luck

Yep! Mine is just planning to start level 3 this next year-She started preteam at 4, Level 2 at 5, and will turn 6 this summer. I am just now realizing that if we keep going at this rate, she's on track to be practicing 16 hours/week by second grade. YIKES! She's loving it do far --but we may end up slowing down for year somewhere between now and then anyway!

 

[kellyb]

Never -


- This sport will demand more and more of your time but by the time you realize how much time you are spending it will be too late (the old frog in a pot of water thing). By the time she gets to the higher optional levels she will easily be spending 20 hours a week at the gym. And if she can't drive herself it will take a parent to get her there and back.

Good Luck

Yep! Mine is just planning to start level 3 this next year-She started preteam at 4, Level 2 at 5, and will turn 6 this summer. I am just now realizing that if we keep going at this rate, she's on track to be practicing 16 hours/week by second grade. YIKES! We may end up slowing down for year somewhere between now and then anyway!